Endless tests and exams, tough demands, and intense stress become all-time partners of students on their learning journeys. One’s emotional state can be affected not only by an exhausting exam session but also by high expectations from professors and from oneself. All together, this can lead to burnout.
The term “burnout” was first introduced by Herbert Freudenberger in his book in 1974. Even though the term isn’t studied yet, researchers identify many symptoms that may be noticed. Below, we look at signs determining that you are experiencing burnout and share ways of coping with it.
And before we begin, here’s a handy tip. If you can hardly find the energy to complete college tasks, feel free to reach out to an online essay writer who can help you finishing the assignment with you. Professional authors have extensive experience in many academic fields, so they are great at helping you with writing papers of any complexity. This could help you reduce the amount of anxiety you experience before school deadlines.
Symptoms Of Burnout
Academic burnout is not only fatigue and the feeling that you can hardly go to the next class. It can cause real health problems, namely headaches, insomnia, and depression. Here’s what you may have noticed:
- Feeling exhausted no matter how much sleep you get;
- Lack of motivation to learn or to attend classes;
- Increased irritability;
- Lack of inspiration for projects and discussions;
- Loss of confidence;
- Failure to meet deadlines;
- Increased tension, which manifests as headaches, muscle soreness, or jaw tension;
- Boredom and lack of interest in life.
In more serious cases, students experience pain in the head and stomach, suffer from skin rashes and eczema, and even appendicitis. In such situations, you should certainly consult a doctor.
Ways To Deal With Burnout
Exercise
Here is the recommendation mentioned not only by therapists but also by neurophysiologists. The book “Burnout: The Secret to Solving the Stress Cycle” by Emily and Amelia Nagoski describes stress and the body’s response to it as one of the oldest processes experienced by humans.
Initially, human beings experienced stress when seeing a predator in the forest, but today, it can be a deadline or a toxic comment from a classmate. The brain doesn’t see the difference between a sudden encounter with a tiger in the woods or stress before an exam. Therefore, the “fight-or-flight” response remains the same. That is why scientists recommend not stopping the body and allowing it to dance, run, or at least walk quickly for about an hour a day.
Sign up for yoga, stretching, or swimming. All these activities relax the nervous system. And if you need to free your busy schedule, just outsource.
Find Support
An anxious body needs a feeling of safety. Therefore, a warm, sincere conversation with friends and nice small talk with a barista in a coffee shop help create this feeling and calm the brain. Share what’s bothering you to release your emotions and discuss how other people deal with similar problems. It’s always easier to overcome stress when you’re not alone.
By the way, neurophysiologists advise hugging people we trust more often. This allows you to calm your heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and let the body know that it is safe and sound. After a hug, your “stress hormone” cortisol will be replaced with oxytocin, the “happiness hormone.”
Look For Something Good In Every Day
Have you ever heard of thank you letters? This method literally helps to reformat your thinking to be more positive. Give thanks to things such as a cozy home, food on the table, hot water, and so on. Add to the list what is important to you, for example, the support of loved ones, the opportunity to visit the gym, listen to music, etc.
Write letters of gratitude to people, be it a teacher who changed your mind with their lectures, a friend who lifts your spirit, or a therapist who helped you survive a traumatic event. By the way, why not read this letter out loud to the person?
Become a Part Of Something Great
People are social creatures who love to feel like they are part of something big and important. Whether it’s student theater, volunteering at an animal shelter, meditation, and spiritual practices, or working in a coffee shop among fellow students, find what makes you feel alive and passionate. Basically, burnout is when you don’t see the point in what you’re doing. Therefore, your task is to find something that makes you truly enthusiastic.
To Wrap It Up
In the fight against burnout, you absolutely shouldn’t ignore your body and what it tries to say. Physical activity, close relationships with loved ones, deep communication, and life-affirming community – all this help to calm the instincts that have been part of us since ancient times.
Of course, if you can’t cope on your own, then we strongly recommend contacting a specialist. College is important, but your physical and mental state is always a priority.
Finally, recovering from academic burnout will not happen overnight. It may take you a few weeks to de-stress and feel energized again.
